| Biography | Originally formed as the Cwmparc Temperance Drum and Fife Band in 1893, the band went all brass a year later to become the Cwmparc Silver Band. They later began receiving financial support from the Ocean Coal Company who operated the Parc and the Dare collieries in the locality, and the Parc & Dare Workmens Silver Band was subsequently born. It is proudly noted that much of the bands early funding came from the miners working at the collieries who each contributed one penny per week from their own wages.
With the contraction of the UK mining industry came the closure of the two collieries, and the bands main source of financial support subsequently ceased. Since that time the band has been dependant wholly on its own resourcefulness to support itself through concert engagements and competition success. The continuation of the band has also been further assured through the adoption of a policy of training young people in the art of brass playing through the Parc & Dare Junior Band.
Building on its enthusiastic, outward looking policies, the Parc & Dare Band has become one of the leading combinations in the banding world. Its success in competition is legendary with literally dozens of Championship first prizes to its credit. These successes include being the National Representative for Wales on over twenty occasions, attaining the title of Champion Band of Wales on no less than fourteen occasions, and representing the country at the European Championships four times (being placed fourth twice). |